The invention relates to a laminar masking device particularly for use with vehicles, such as sun visors or the like.
A masking device of this general type is already known in the form of a sun visor, for example, from German Utility Model (DE-GM) 71 20 369. It comprises three parts of equal width, which are mutually articulately connected, and which are foldable on each other in order to occupy a rest position. In this case the parts have to be pivoted mutually through 180.degree.. In spite of a prescribed positive folding sequence of the parts, the manipulation of the sun visor is relatively complicated. Furthermore, a stack height which corresponds approximately to three times the thickness of the sun visor is obtained in the rest position of the sun visor. An installation space admitting of such a stack height is usually not structurally available in all vehicle body designs.
The problem of the stack height is eliminated in the case of one-part sun visors, such as are known from German Patent (DE-PS) No. 33 38 774, for example. The operation of such sun visors is also problem-free, because they are articulated only at one edge side.
On the other hand, a one-part sun visor which is foldable up towards the vehicle roof in a customary manner requires a pivoting clearance corresponding to it full width extension.
In motor vehicles with a flat inclination of the windscreen, however, the heads of the front occupants are already in the proximal region of the front windscreen frame profile, so that the required clearance for the functionally necessary pivoting operation of the sun visor is not immediately present. This fact necessarily leads again to a multi-part sun visor, that is to say reducible in width.
The problem explained does not only affect sun visors in motor cars, but also, in similar form, other masking devices which are customary in vehicle construction. The following are given as examples of such masking devices:
masking means for assembly apertures, vehicle body cavities, or the like which have to be kept accessible; PA1 cover-like masking means of storages and door pockets; PA1 roller-blind-like sight screen devices of load surfaces; PA1 dividing gap covering means between two mutually adjustable components, such as between seat back rests and seat cushions of vehicle seats or the like; and PA1 cover-like cladding covering means for mechanisms arranged sunk in the vehicle body, such as belt height adjusting means or the like.
It is therefore an underlying object of the invention to develop further a laminar masking device, particularly for vehicles, of the type in question, so that it is well adaptable in the structural context to existing space conditions, that a change of the bending positions is possible with reduced folding extension, and that the manipulation of the masking means is particularly simple.
This object is achieved according to preferred embodiments of the invention by providing that the masking device, with the addition of a corresponding number of mutually aligned connecting strips pivotally connected about common bending axes, may also be used for acute overall bending angles. Independently of overall bending angles of the masking device, an arcuately curved bending region made of connecting strips is obtained for its construction.
Advantageously, in especially preferred embodiments of the invention the bending axes are each constructed self-locking between the prescribed bending positions over their total bending angle, so that the masking device is also fixed in each intermediate position.
The required self-locking forces may be dimensioned appropriately according to the purpose of use, whilst differences may also arise from the arrangement of the masking device, because the arrangement is conceivable both with a horizontal and with a vertical orientation of the bending axe according to various contemplated embodiments of the invention. For a simple operation the masking device is bent manually in the bending region, whilst the self-locking of the bending axes has to be overcome.
The laminar masking device need also not remain restricted to the vehicle installations hitherto mentioned, because "external applications" on the vehicles are also conceivable according to other contemplated embodiments of the invention.
In the case of a corresponding large-format configuration, the masking device could also serve as a lateral door or lateral flap of sales vehicles according to certain contemplated embodiments. Beyond the flap function such masking device could be hinged laterally and upwards as a protection against sun or rain for customers standing at the sales vehicle.
Versatile purposes of use are also conceivable in other fields of daily life - beyond the application of the masking device on vehicles - here, the principle according to the invention would give the masking device advantages over known solutions. As an example, only a use as an adjustable wall or the like flexibly adaptable to the space conditions, will be mentioned.
An especially preferred embodiment of the masking device is as a sun visor which is explained more fully below with reference to an exemplary embodiment as representative of other contemplated masking devices constructed according to the principle of the invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.